The Touch of a Breeze
by MeGkAtHeRiNe
Summary: Cancer.
1. Chapter 1

Four months to live.

Words that had haunted her beautiful blond friend now ringing in her ears along with her heels smashing into the wooden floorboards as she walked. She shook her head, dark hair flying as she practically ran from the room. The doctor had to be wrong.

Doctors were wrong all the time. Tests got contaminated, or miracles happened. They happened all the time!

Emily gulped, halting just as she slammed the front door behind her.

Her friend was dying.

Her hand came up to cover her quivering lips, a cry escaping into her cupped hand as her tears started to stream.

Stage four breast cancer was quickly deteriorating Jennifer Jareau's body; mother of one and wife to a now decorated officer.

Sucking in what was supposed to be a calming breath, Emily glanced up to the ceiling. She did her best to force her tears back, hating what she had just done to the poor, defenseless woman.

_"Come on," the brunette woman probed lightly, holding her purse in her lap so she knew her gun was safe with her. "What did you want to tell me?"_

_JJ, knowing that her son was being put to sleep upstairs by her loving husband, kept herself as quiet as she possibly could as she scooted closer to the older agent. "I wanted to let you know what's been happening with me," she whispered calmly, smiling to her best friend of six years. "I know that I've been a bit touchy lately with certain things, but I didn't want you to go on thinking that I was mad at you. You didn't do anything."_

_Emily slowly nodded her head. "Alright."_

_The blond reached for her friend and took her hand in hers, her head tilting as a somewhat calm feeling ran through her. "I have cancer."_

_She couldn't do anything but pause, the older agent's eyes widening at the news. "You what?" Her breath was gone, her blood running cold as the mother's hand tightened around hers. "Cancer?"_

_"Breast cancer," she nodded._

_Emily felt her jaw drop. "That's not possible," she quickly denied, shaking her head as her eyes connected with the younger woman's. "You're lying."_

_"I wouldn't lie about something like that, Em." JJ took a breath. "I have about four months, I'm already in stage four."_

_The doe eyed woman, who had come over excited to finally tell her best friend the news of her pregnancy, grit he teeth. "Stop lying."_

_"I'm not lying," she insisted._

_Emily quickly stood from her spot on the family's couch and shouldered her purse. "I have to go." She felt her breathing pick up at the confession of her friend, and if she wanted to keep her tears hidden from the younger woman then she needed to leave._

_JJ held tighter onto the older woman's hand. "Emily wait," the mother spoke, her voice wavering as if she were about to cry. "Please don't leave me."_

_She retched her hand from the grabby ones of the younger agent, forgetting how to breathe as she ran from the room._

Emily cried freely at the feeling she had growing in the pit of her stomach. Guilt.

Spinning slowly on her heel, time slowing when her eyes hit the painted door popping up in front of her, Emily tried to control her breathing. She lifted her hand and twisted the knob, peeking her head inside the home before walking back inside.


	2. Chapter 2

She crept quietly back in the house, her red eyes wide as she continued down the hall. "Jen?" She was scared of what she'd find once she'd make it down to the end of the walkway. "JJ?"

Slowly peeking around the corner, she saw her friend wiping away the single tear that had fallen from her eye. "Hi."

Emily cried as she walked back into the room, letting the younger woman have enough time to stand before she tackled her in a hug. "I'm so sorry."

"I get it," the mother cooed.

Fighting the quiver of her lips and the sniffle she would be forced to make if she kept crying, the brunette tightened her arms around her friend's neck. "I don't want you to die." She sounded like a child, her voice weak and cracking with every syllable.

JJ pressed her lips against the older woman's sweating skin and gently sat them down. "Calm down, ok? Do you need some water?" Pushing a strand of ebony hair behind her ear, the dying woman did her best to smile. "Maybe a glass of your favorite wine?"

Emily's puffed eyes glanced up to the agent she had spent so many years spilling secrets to, and her dried out tongue came to swipe over her bottom lip. "That was the main reason I came over," she said shakily. "I'm pregnant."

"Em," the blond gushed, her hand reaching up to cover her gaping mouth. "Congratulations."

"Thanks," she whispered, bowing her head as another rush of tears flooded her eyes.

JJ took the older woman's chin between her fingers and lifted, forcing Emily's eyes to stare into hers. "Don't be sad. Death happens, there's nothing we can do to prevent it."

"I was going to ask you to be the godmother," Emily sniffled.

Feeling her eyes begin to water once again, and she set her hand to her heart. "I would have been honored."

Emily's brow furrowed when she saw the younger woman blink, her lids looking as if they were growing heavier by the second. "Are you ok?"

"I didn't want to wait this through," the young mother stated carefully, leaning back against the cushions of her couch. "You know how much I love to get things done quickly," she laughed.

"Will!" Emily moved closer to the blond and set a hand to her cheek, tears streaming down her face when she felt a coldness begin to grow. "JJ, what did you do?"

The southerner raced down the steps and fell onto the couch just beside his wife, reaching down to grab onto his hand. "You said it would take at least an hour, chere."

"I think I took too many for that to happen."

Emily's eyes darted over to the only man in the room. "What is she talking about? What did she take?"

"She took some pills," the upset man nodded somberly. "She didn't want to let the cancer take her."

JJ couldn't even open her eyes to see the sadness etched across her friend's face. "This is why I wanted you here, Em. I want you to stay with me."

"Please don't do this," she begged through grit teeth, her hand tightening around the weakening woman's. "Will call an ambulance."

"I can't do that, Em. She doesn't want me to."

Emily sobbed, curling into the blonde's side as she felt her begin to wither away. "But what about Henry?"

"I spent all day with him," JJ smiled. "I wanted him to know how much I love him. I always will." She tilted her head, resting her forehead against the older woman's. "Tell everyone I love them, ok? Ok, Em?"

"I will," she promised. Her tears falling and tangling with the younger woman's golden blond hair, Emily finally took in a deep breath.

And with her friend growing heavier in the hold of her arms, Emily knew what her child's name would be.

Jennifer.


End file.
